“Who Was Aristarchus?”

BIBLE READING: Acts 19

                Aristarchus was “a Greek Macedonian of Thessalonica" (Acts 27:2).  He was one of the early Christians mentioned in a few passages of the New Testament that accompanied Paul on his journey to Rome. In Acts 19, we read that Aristarchus, along with a fellow Macedonian Gaius, were caught up in a riot while with Paul in Ephesus.  The Bible says that they were “dragged” into the theater and were persecuted due to their message not being very complementary to their goddess Artemis.  In Colossians 4.10, Paul refers to him as a “fellow prisoner”; literally that meant a “prisoner of war”.  In fact, all the followers of Jesus were at war.  They were at war with the world, the Devil and the religious culture of the day.  When I think of the phrase “prisoner of war”, my mind immediately goes back to those old “Missing in Action” movies starring Chuck Norris.  Those movies depicted the harsh treatment that the captured American soldiers endured during and after the Vietnam War.  In each of these films these prisoners were brutally beaten, starved, and made to live in filth.  Now I am not suggesting that Aristarchus and Gaius were treated like those POW’s were treated in Vietnam, but I do believe they were treated inhospitably.  Aristarchus, mentioned in God’s story, teaches us that as Christians we will have to endure some type of persecution.  Our persecution may not come in the form of being physically beaten or taken captive for what we believe and teach; it might be more of an emotional beating and being placed in a social prison.  Aristarchus teaches us that when our persecution occurs, we must endure and endure to the end.  Acts 20 reveals that when the riot ceased, he rejoined Paul and continued his ministry.  Secular history tells us that he was beheaded by Nero in Rome for being a Christian.   Although being killed for the sake of the cross does happen in other parts of the world, it rarely occurs in our country.   Yet, Aristarchus’ example teaches us that no matter what type of suffering might ensue, we must consider it an honor to have suffered for the sake of the cross. He also teaches us that if you are currently suffering…endure…endure…endure…the reward for the believer is not of this world…but beyond it.